Pillar-light assembly



439 Q 1 INVENTOR,

May 23, 1939. A, w, FRANCE 2,159,532

P ILLAR-LIGHT AS SEMBLY Filed May 28, 1936 3a l)??? 14. firarn'e.

E1: 4. BY

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PILLAR-LIGHT ASSEMBLY Alvin W. France, Pleasant Ridge, Mich., assignor to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit,

Mich, a corporation Application May 28,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an ornamental pillarlight assembly adapted particularly, although not exclusively, for use in the interiors of vehicle bodies.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved pillar or dome-light .as-

sembly capable of being removably attached to or mounted upon one of the pillars of the vehicle body.

A further object is to provide a pillar-lamp assembly adapted to 'be mounted within a recessed portion in one of the body pillars, the pillar itself providing both a means for housing a conductor or lead-in wire to the lamp and also a ground for the light circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp assembly capable of being inserted in a pre-formed socket provided in the door pillar so as to be substantially flush with the face of the pillar, and one in which the whole assembly, with the exception of the dome or lens, is concealed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp assembly of the foregoing character in which the reflector is substantially frusto-conical and adapted to fit in a similarly shaped recess in the pillar, and one in which the reflector and dome or lens are threadedly connected together.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection vwith the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of a vehicle body of the enclosed type and illustrating one application of the present invention thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary'elevational view, partly broken away, of a vehicle body door post or pillar with the light assembly embodying the invention app-lied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. '2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustratof Michigan 1936, Serial No. 82,332

ed in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is shown therein a portion of the front compartment of an enclosed automobile body of the sedan or coach type in which a door post or pillar A is mounted between the front door 13 and the rear door or window C. The post or pillar A carries a pillar-light assembly embodying the present invention, shown as a whole at D. Illumination of the lamp bulb of the light assembly is controlled by means of a switch E preferably mounted in the pillar A, as shown.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, the post or pillar A is preferably formed of sheet steel and, as shown, comprises a channel-like member in having outwardly offset inwardly extending flanges H. The inner open side of the channel member I is preferably closed and also reinforced by a metal panel or channel strip l2 having side flanges 13 which interfit with the flanges i I of the channel. As best seen in Fig. 4, 1e reinforcing member I2 is provided with vertical longitudinally extending grooves M which are adapted to receive and support tacking strips l formed of wood or other similar material to which the upholstery is tacked. At a predetermined pcint in its height, the member 12 is provided with a substantially frusto-conical recess or depressed portion l6 terminating in an annular sleeve-like socket portion I1 which is adapted to receive and support the body portion or plug [9 of an electric lamp [8.

The pillar-light assembly of the present embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially frusto-conical reflector or casing having an opening 2| formed in its base and an annular rim 22 externally threaded at 23. The reflector is preferably formed of metal although other suitable material for the purpose, such as a plastic composition, may be utilized. As shown, the reflector is removably secured in place in the recess It by means'of screws 24. When assembled the lamp bulb and a portion of its supporting socket project through the opening 2| and are positioned centrally within the reflector. The reflector and lamp bulb are enclosed and 'concealedby a removable lens or dome having a thickened rim or marginal edge 26 which is preferably internally threaded. The lens may be formed of any suitable translucent material such, for example, as frosted glass, Celluloid or other suitable plastic material or composition. As Shown in the drawing, the lens 25 is preferably threaded onto the externally threaded portion 22 of the reflector rim which projects slightly, as shown, from the inner face of the pillar.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 a trim panel or strip 21 formed of fiber-board or the like and covered with a finish cloth or trim fabric covering 28 is applied to the face of the pillar to conceal it, the trim panel being secured in place by driving tacks (not shown) through it and into the tacking strips l5. To form a weather seal at the opposite upright edges of the panel, a suitable windlace 29 having a fabric covering 30 is provided at each upright edge of the pillar, the windlace members being held in place by securing the free edges of their fabric covering between the panel 21 and the concealed members II and I2 of the pillar assembly.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the trim panel or finish strip 21 is provided with a pre-formed opening through which the rim 22 of the reflector projects when the panel is applied to the pillar.

The lens 25, when threaded onto the reflector rim 22 engages the adjacent edges of the finish strip 21 surrounding the rim and thus holds this portion of the strip flat against the post or pillar.

Current may be supplied to the lamp bulb H3 in any suitable manner, as by means. of the conduit 3|. The supply of current is controlled by a suitable switch, such as the switch E shown in Fig. 1, which may be located at any desired point within the vehicle body.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a pillar-light assembly which is capable of being detachably mounted upon the inner face of a vehicle body pillar or post and which, when so mounted, is substantially flush with the inner face of said pillar, and one in which the reflector and lamp bulb are concealed by a removable globe or lens, the lens also performing the function of holding a portion of the trim panel or finish strip and fabric covering in place around the light assembly. By recessing the reinforcing member I2 of the pillar the lamp structure may be fitted into the pillar so as to be largely housed thereby and at the same time the central web of the reinforcing channel l2 may be formed with a socket, as at IT, to support the lamp proper. By securing the reflector directly to the pillar through metal screws 24 or through the direct metal to metal contact of the lamp base to the pillar member l2 it is possible to ground the circuit directly to the body, thus requiring but a single lead-in wire which is conveniently housed within the pillar.

I claim:

1. In combination with a vehicle door pillar of channel formation having a metal reinforcing member for closing the open side of said channel,

' said member having a recess formed therein terminating in a centrally disposed socket portion for supporting a lamp bulb, of a light assemblyassociated with said pillar and comprising a reflector removably mounted in said. recess and having a central opening registering with said socket portion, a lamp bulb located within said reflector, and a lens removably attached to said reflector for concealing the same and said lamp bulb.

2. In combination with a vehicle door pillar of channel formation having a metal panel for closing the open side of said channel, said panel having a recess formed therein terminating in a centrally disposed socket portion for supporting a lamp bulb, of a light assembly associated with said pillar and comprising a reflector removably mounted in said panel recess and having a central opening registering with said socket portion, said reflector having an annular rim projecting beyond the inner face of said panel, a lamp bulb Within the reflector, and a removable lens threadedly engaged with said rim for concealing said reflector and lamp bulb.

3. In combination with a vehicle door pillar of channel formation having a panel for closing the open side of said channel, said panel having a socket formed therein, a fabric covered finish strip attached to said panel and having an opening registering with said socket, of a light assembly associated with said panel and comprising a reflector removably mounted in said socket, said reflector having an annular rim projecting beyond the face of said finish strip, and a lens formed of translucent material detachably mounted upon said reflector rim and engaging the face of said finish strip.

4. In combination with a vehicle door pillar of channel formation having a panel for closing the open side of said channel, said panel having a socket portion formed therein, a finish strip attached to said panel and having an opening registering with said socket portion, of a light assembly associated with said panel and comprising a reflector removably mounted in said socket portion, said reflector having an annular externally threaded rim projecting beyond the face of said finish strip, and a lens threadedly engaged with said reflector rim for concealing said reflector.

5. In combination, a vehicle body including a door pillar, said pillar being of channel formation and having its open side toward the interior of said body, a metal panel having grooves formed therein secured to said channel for closing the open side thereof, tacking strips located in said grooves, a socket formed in said panel and having means for supporting a lamp bulb, a reflector removably mounted in said socket and having an annular portion projecting forwardly beyond said panel, a finish strip attached to said tacking strips and covering the face of said panel, said finish strip having an opening through which said annular reflector portion projects, and a lens removably attached to the annular portion of said reflector and concealing said reflector.

6. In combination, a vehicle body including a door pillar, said pillar being of channel form tion and having its open side toward the interior of said body, a metal panel having grooves formed therein secured to said channel for closing the open side thereof, tacking strips located in said grooves, a socket formed in said panel and having means for supporting a lamp bulb, a reflector removably mounted in said socket and having an annular portion projecting forwardly eyond said panel, a finish strip attached to said tacking strips and covering the face of said panel, said finish strip having an opening through which said annular reflector portion projects, a lens removably attached to said annular portion and concealing said reflector, and a windlace located at each upright inner edge of said pillar and having a portion interposed between said panel and said finish strip.

ALVIN W.. PRANCE. 

